Gurtler v. Union Parts Mfg. Co.
| Citation | 1 N.Y.2d 5,132 N.E.2d 889,150 N.Y.S.2d 4 |
| Parties | , 132 N.E.2d 889, 30 Lab.Cas. P 69,867 Roman GURTLER, Appellant, v. UNION PARTS MANUFACTURING CO., Inc., Respondent. |
| Decision Date | 15 March 1956 |
| Court | New York Court of Appeals |
William Canton and Robert Leon Horn, New York City, for appellant.
Charles H. Tuttle and Thomas A. Shaw, Jr., New York City, for respondent.
It has long been settled that what is defamatory that is, actionable without allegation or proof of special damage when written may be held not actionable per se if spoken. See Hartmann v. Winchell, 296 N.Y. 296, 298, 73 N.E.2d 30, 31, 171 A.L.R. 759; Kleeberg v. Sipser, 265 N.Y. 87, 91, 191 N.E. 845, 846; Moore v. Francis, 121 N.Y. 199, 204, 23 N.E. 1127, 1128, 8 L.R.A. 214; Kinney v. Nash, 3 N.Y. 177, 178; Oakley v. Farrington, 1 Johns.Cas. 129, 130. Having applicable principles in mind, it is clear that the words attributed to defendant corporation's president are not slanderous per se. Consequently, absent a sufficient allegation of special damage, the complaint fails to state a cause of action and was properly dismissed by the Appellate Division, 285 App.Div. 643, 140 N.Y.S.2d 254. However, in view of plaintiff's assertion, made through counsel, that he has suffered special damages, he should be permitted to amend his complaint to include an allegation to that effect. Civil Practice Act, § 584; see Didier v. Macfadden Publications, 299 N.Y. 49, 53, 85 N.E.2d 612, 613; Al Raschid v. News Syndicate Co., 265 N.Y. 1, 5, 191 N.E. 713, 714.
The judgment of the Appellate Division should be affirmed, with leave to plaintiff to serve an amended complaint within twenty days.
DYE, J., taking no part.
Judgment affirmed, etc.
To continue reading
Request your trial
-
Matherson v. Marchello
...law governing slander and the law governing libel (see Restatement, Torts 2d, § 568, comment b; see, also, Gurtler v. Union Parts Mfg. Co., 1 N.Y.2d 5, 150 N.Y.S.2d 4, 132 N.E.2d 889; 2 PJI [1983 Supp., p. 84] ). A plaintiff suing in slander must plead special damages unless the defamation ......
-
Privitera v. Town of Phelps
...v. Lewis, 20 A.D.2d 773, 247 N.Y.S.2d 650; Gurtler v. Union Parts Mfg. Co., Inc., 285 App.Div. 643, 140 N.Y.S.2d 254, affd. 1 N.Y.2d 5, 150 N.Y.S.2d 4, 132 N.E.2d 889). The distinction between spoken words which are actionable per se and those that are not is between certain classes of accu......
-
Hill v. Stubson
...him in that career. See Gurtler v. Union Parts Mfg. Co. (1st Dept.1955) 285 App.Div. 643, 140 N.Y.S.2d 254, 258-59, aff’d (1956) 1 N.Y.2d 5, 150 N.Y.S.2d 4 ; Shakun v. Sadinoff (1st Dept.1947) 272 App.Div. 721, 74 N.Y.S.2d 556, 557. Korry v. Int’l Tel. & Tel. Corp. , 444 F.Supp. 193, 196 (S......
-
Hinsdale v. Orange County Publications, Inc.
...defamatory per se than are oral utterances of similar import (Ostrowe v. Lee, 256 N.Y. 36, 175 N.E. 505; Gurtler v. Union Parts Mfg. Co., 1 N.Y.2d 5, 150 N.Y.S.2d 4, 132 N.E.2d 889). We conclude, therefore, that printed statements like those in this newspaper announcement about married peop......